Dynamo put up a fight, win against Puebla

Published 5:30 am, Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Defender Ryan Cochrane and the Dynamo set the bar high in SuperLiga play.

Defender Ryan Cochrane and the Dynamo set the bar high in SuperLiga play.

Photo: Brett Coomer, Chronicle

Dynamo put up a fight, win against Puebla

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The Dynamo fought their way into the semifinals of SuperLiga after a nasty contest against Mexico’s Puebla as both clubs finished with nine players Wednesday night.

The Dynamo won 1-0 on a goal by Dominic Oduro, a late substitute who was given an early trip to the showers as one of two Dynamo players who ejected before a crowd of 10,033 at Robertson Stadium.

Referee Oscar Reyna gave out eight yellow cards and four reds, two for each side. But neither of the Dynamo’s red cards was in response to the melee in the 85th minute, when the players shoved and attempted to throw punches. Oduro was sent off in stoppage time after drawing a yellow for diving in the 18-yard box and then another immediately for dissent.

"I don’t know what to say," Oduro said. "I thought it was my first yellow card. I hope he checks it out. I thought it was a foul on me, but he’s seeing different. Hopefully we can talk to SuperLiga and they can fix it, as I want to play in the semifinals."

Puebla, which won its first two Group A games, finished second in the group to reach the semifinals. The Dynamo finished undefeated in group play with a pair of victories and a draw for seven points.

The Dynamo, the only MLS team to reach three SuperLiga semifinals, will play Morelia in their semifinal at some point early next month at Robertson Stadium.

"I told the guys, ‘you should be happy with this,’" Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear said. "Two wins and a draw against the teams we played against and the conditions. We’ve mixed and matched teams. And I told them it was very positive and we need to keep doing this because we have a game on Saturday, a game the following Saturday, a game the following Thursday and then on Sunday. So they’ll be different lineups."

Despite their obvious differences on the pitch, they found common ground in their dismay with Reyna, who wasn’t available for comment.

"To nobody is it a secret that the refereeing in the World Cup was bad," Puebla coach Jose Luis Sanchez Sola said. "Now imagine (the level) in SuperLiga."

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One minute after Oduro replaced Lovel Palmer, he put the Dynamo on top in the 63rd minute. Cam Weaver headed Corey Ashe’s free kick down to Oduro, who took care of the rest from close range.

Brian Ching, who was brought in for a cameo in the 70th minute, almost gave the Dynamo a 2-0 lead with a header that bounced off the crossbar in the 77th minute. A minute later, Danny Cruz received his second yellow card.

The game turned ugly in the 85th minute when Puebla’s Alvaro Gonzalez responded to Anthony Obodai’s foul by kicking Obodai, prompting Dynamo midfielder Adrian Serioux to rush in and push Gonzalez.

Just like that, tempers grew out of control as players slapped and pushed each other. Serioux drew a yellow card for his part in the melee, while Gonzalez drew a straight red and Melvin Brown drew his second yellow for another ejection. The Dynamo’s advantage didn’t last long, however, because Oduro drew a yellow after falling on a bit of contact inside the 18-yard box.

Brown and Gonzalez both politely declined to address the media afterward.

"I asked (Reyna) when (did Oduro get) his first yellow," Ching said. "I asked if it was in the ruckus. And he said it was, but that was No. 51 Adrian. We were trying to figure out what he mistook it for, but it was a little disappointing in that aspect of the game in the sense that I think it could have been controlled better and definitely when two referees tell you it’s not a second yellow you accept the mistake and move on."

Hernandez on the way

Mexican phenom Javier Hernandez remains on schedule to arrive in Houston ahead of his new Manchester United teammates this weekend, and storied Red Devils manager Sir Alex Ferguson sounds optimistic about using the young striker July 28 at Reliant Stadium against the MLS All-Stars.

Hernandez, who scored two goals for El Tri in the World Cup, is the first Mexican to sign with the Red Devils. He'll make a pair of appearances around Houston this weekend for AT&T, the MLS All-Star Game Sponsor, and for Budweiser.

Then, the 22-year-old will join the Red Devils for his first training session with Manchester United next Tuesday at Reliant Stadium.

"Maybe he'll play a part in that game," Ferguson said. "Depends what he's been doing physically. He's young and he's more than likely to be quite active. You know he's been involved in the World Cup. Players play golf, play tennis and things like and usually fitness wise they don't hardly have a problem. We'll wait and see."

Tickets remain

One week before the 2010 AT&T MLS All-Star Game, there were fewer than 15,000 tickets remaining for what already is sure to be the biggest crowd to watch a stand-alone MLS All-Star game for the 15-year-old league.

Waibel on way out?

Veteran defender Craig Waibel, who was put on waivers earlier in the week, was not on the team sheet Wednesday night against Puebla. Unless he's claimed by another club, Waibel is likely to be released.

The organization is hopeful that the highly respected Waibel will accept a job in the front office.